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Kashmir Solidarity Day to be observed on Friday

Mission to be sent to International Community to highlight Indian brutalities

Sophia Siddiqui

Islamabad

A special meeting of the Federal Cabinet held here on Monday, Prime Minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the chair, decided to observer Kashmir Solidarity Day in support of Kashmiri brothers and sisters against Indian brutalities across the country on Friday.
The cabinet meeting reviewed current situation arising out of the Indian brutalities and killings in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir.
The Indian security in their fresh act of terrorism in Shopian district killed 20 people in two days on Sunday and Monday.
Pakistan on Sunday also lodged strong protects and condemned the brutal and indiscriminate use of force by the Indian forces. Political leaders also condemned the violence, calling for action against India.
The special meeting of Cabinet adopted the resolution and strongly condemned the brutal and indiscriminatory use of force by the Indian occupation forces that resulted in the martyrdom of more than 20 innocent Kashmiris in Shopian and Anantnag in the Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir.
The meeting also emphatically condemned the suspension of communication services, especially the internet in the valley, and underscored that such reprehensible Indian attempts aimed at silencing the voice of the Kashmiris from reaching the international community would never succeed.
It paid a rich tribute to the brave and resilient people of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir who have been continuously demonstrating against the brutal repression, incarceration, torture and extra judicial killing perpetrated by the illegal occupation Indian forces.
The Cabinet also reiterated the Prime Minister’s request to the UN Secretary General to appoint a Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir with a mandate flowing from the unimplemented UN Security Council resolutions.
The Federal Cabinet also decided to send special envoys of the Prime Minister, including the President of Azad Jammu Kashmir, to selected capitals to highlight the deteriorating situation in IoK.
Some Cabinet members would participate in the Joint Session of the AJK Legislative Assembly on 4 April 2018.
Later, Minister of Foreign Ministers Khawaja Asif along with the foreign office spokesperson Dr Faisal addressed a press conference here at MOFA on Monday Night and said India has set the worst example of state terrorism in Occupied Kashmir.
He added that the emergency meeting of the cabinet was convened on the killing of dozens of Kashmiris by Indian security forces.
He said the Prime Minister will address AJK Legislative Assembly to raise the enormity of the situation.
“Cabinet also decided to send delegations to various countries to highlight the plight of Kashmiris” said FM.
He said he talked on telephone with counterparts from Turkey and Iran today regarding the serious situation and they were requested to play their role in forcing India to stop human rights violations in Occupied Kashmir. He said Secretary General of OIC and Saudi officials will also be contacted to impress upon India to stop its brutalities in occupied Kashmir. He stated Pakistan is also making efforts to convene a meeting of the OIC on this issue. He said Pakistan will also raise this issue at the forums of Human Right Watch, Amnesty International and Human Rights Council.
Khawaja Asif said over 2000 ceasefire violations have taken place along Line of Control and Working Boundary during the past year, which is a threat for regional peace and could have negative implications leading to war.
He said after the martyrdom of Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani, Indian security forces stepped up its aggression and conducted 1500 operations in the held territory resulting in martyrdom of 534 innocent Kashmiris.
In addition, 21183 people were wounded which also include 8424 who have lost their sight due to use of pallet guns. Occupying authorities also arrested 19230 Kashmiris.
Foreign Minister reiterated that Pakistan will continue its moral, diplomatic and political support to Kashmiris.
Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that the suspension of communication services, especially the internet in the valley, and underscored that such reprehensible Indian attempts aimed at silencing the voice of the Kashrmis from reaching the international community would never succeed.
Answering a question, he said that all the political parties of Pakistan are united over the issue of Kashmir.
He said the Federal Cabinet emphatically condemned the draconian laws, including POTA, TADA, PSA and AFSPA imposed by India in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir. It further stressed that the deteriorating situation in IoK and the Indian escalation at the Working Boundary and the LoC is a flashpoint and a threat to regional peace and tranquility.
Federal Cabinet urged the international community to take cognizance of the gross and systematic human rights violations of the Kashmiris in IOK and requested the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission to send Fact Finding missions to the Indian occupied Jammu & Kashmir.